Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-11
TIE RAIN PROBLEM.
HTEw the Settler May Gradually Facili
tate or Impede the Fall OF Rain
in the Arid West.
How the Whole West May be Irrigated
steps that Should be Taken by the
State Legislature.

ANSON, TEX March :, 1851.
To the Ejito= OF the Gazette:
After long delay | write on the over
shadowing suject: Can we increase the
rain? The present drOuth still holds US
n its fatal grasp, and thu Legislature
still shows it's unmistakable purpose Of
continuing the present excessive price of
lands, (Which cannot be paid for farming
or grsZing) and Of continuing the fatal
uiDsO facto" clause, which, with the
authority to issue county bonds, and the
construction of revenue law which taxes
the state land purchaser thirty times higher
than any other tax payer, will grind US
between the upper and neither mill stones
and our pulveriZation is Inevitable and
will be swift and complete. Hopeless of
early relief, will cast little bread upon
the waters which "may be gathered up
many days hence" after the present
farmers of the west shall have bridged
the arid chssm with the bones of the
earnings of a lifetime and fed. Large
parts Of the earth being destitute Of rain,
have irrigation facilities from flowing
mountain streams or have periodic
overfows from rain falling else
where. But Texas has none of
these except the PeCOs and
one bank of the Rio Grande, which is
trifing compared with the vast extent of
restitution. Artesian wells have not
been well tested, and where an outflow
has been had water tit for irrigation has
not always been found. Not being des-
titute of rain, aud possessing Astounding
fertility, it is clear that slight increase
would be of mOmentOuS consequence.
That which falls is quite well distributed
and confined to no season. Sorghum and
the native grasses may be relied on.
Grain crops and cotton in
lavish quantities may be had
occasionally. Feeble man is power
less to control the wind currents
which produce either rain or drouth, and
therefore the discussion of this subject
would be barren OF practical results and
not suited to an emnently practical paper
like THE GAZETTE. Learning and Art
stand piteously helpless before the with
ering winds, little west Of south from
the parched fields of Mexico or q little
west Of north from the sCOrChed plains
and mountains OF Colorado and Montana,
destitute Of all moisture and seeking
whom he may devour' and finding him;
ready to discharge their precious
contents hover nigh we may
slightly facilitate or slightly impede
that discharge, and when rain does fall
We can husband and preserve part of it
fLr future use. That timber and other
shade producing growth increases rain
is so universally admitted By all scientists
that it need not be discussed. That
no n &c
equally well established, therefore the
treeIessnesS of our plains and the naked
ness caused by the prairie dogs, tempt
the charry clouds (Which are too eager to
find eXCuse,) to bear away their precious
freight Trees are considered Of so
much Importance that most gov
SrnmentS have laws regulating
forestry and our own has long given
away 100 acres to each settler who will
plant a small patch OF timber after having
given him 100 acres as 8 homestead.
Twenty Cdd states have their Arbor days.
The Northern Pacific Railroad after
planting $4,000 worth of trees transports
free all trees to be planted In It's territory.
Lately several states, notably New York,
have taken steps to preserve their trees.
Therefore, | submit the following with
no hope of its adoption until the lapse Of
years shall unteaCh the lessons taught
by land sgents and spectators,
and shall convince the public
that the great mesquite region mas to-
tally different climate from all east Of it,
and requires legislation suitable - the
climate. The mlls of the Gods grind
slowly but they grind very sure.
l. Let the lands be put at 81, or per
cent, TO aCtual settlers only, il small
quantities with five years residence re
quired.
,. Let each settler be required to make
i've acres of permanent water smface 10
each hall section and plant like amount
of timber other than mesquite.
3. Let the Commissioners court he
authorized and required to destroy the
prairie dog pest by wholesale poison. g:
This would cost the state nothing, for
this is high for land so destitute Of mois-
ture, especially so where the general
government gives away its lands which
are no drier than these. The timber, by
disturbing the fatal evenness of the wind
currents, and by producing shade, Will
tend to Invite precipitation when the
clouds are nearing the rain point. These
little reservoirs, by throwing out Vapor,
will feebly but surely aid the ram clouds
WHICH 50 OIlcD come near TO,
but so often iall short OF, rain.
1t is well known everywhere in summer,
during the partial shower period, tina
more rain falls along water courses, not
rivers only, but creeks. If 9 trifing creek
with its tiny stream, many miles from
other water, will tempt the needed
shower, why will not well distributed
ponds do so? Ali rains come from seas.
lakes, rivers, moist earth, etc. Islands
and smsll continents deeply indented with
inland seas, like Europe, abound in rain.
Large continents with small indentations,
like Asia and Africa, have ex-|
tensive deserts. South America,
with It's exceptional trade winds,
can dispense with iudents'ion and
still have dripping climate. The United
States east of the one hundredth meridian
is Rugged in by the AtI4utlc, the Gulf and
the great lakes, and is well supplied with
rain. West Of that with nc larger inden-
t8tions, no lakes and uIfavorsble wind
currents, rain is scsnty. Therefore if we
can by these little lakes slightly initiate,
though ever so feeDiy, the inland seas OF
u 1ture, We will As surely as effect follows
cause produce a slight increase. Having
b. en- once tested they can be enlarged to